The north-east will have air links to many new destinations if Aberdeen Airport managing director Kevin Brown gets his way.

Speaking to the Press and Journal yesterday, he was upbeat about potential new routes from the Granite City despite recent setbacks.

Like most airports, Aberdeen has suffered the impact of a severe downturn in business in the recession.

Monthly passenger numbers on flights to and from the north-east have been falling for more than a year.

More routes have been axed at Aberdeen than have started up over the past 12 months, with the collapse of operator Flyglobespan into administration late last year being a particularly hefty blow. Recent cold weather has added to the airport's woes, but Mr Brown remained confident about its future prospects for passenger and route growth.

He said he believed Aberdeen would see a rise in annual traveller numbers to about 4million, as predicted by operator BAA in 2007, against 3million-plus now, but it was likely to take longer than 2015 to achieve.